Net-lifting machine.



J. MADLEHNBR.

NET LIFTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED APR.'7,1910.

980,650, Patented Jan. 3, 191 1.

JACOB MADLEHNER, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA.

NET-LIFTING MAGI-IIN E.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 3, 1911.

Application filed April 7, 1910. Serial No. 553,967.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAooB MADLEHNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Erie, in the county of Erie and State of Pennsyl- Vania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Net-Lifting Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to net lifting machines, and relates particularly to such machines designed for taking up gill-nets, fishtrawls or set lines, and has for its object the production of such a machine with a revolving cylinder carrying clamps inside and adjacent to its periphery, which operate to yieldingly clamp the fish-net or other fishing device being lifted in such a manner that they operate to grip lines of different sizes, as well as the leads and floats thereon, with equal facility.

The features of my invention are hereinafter fully set forth and explained, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1, is a top or plan view of my improved net lifter. Fig. 2, is a transverse section of the same on the line w-w in Fig. 1.

In these drawings, A, is a cylinder mounted on a vertical shaft B, and yieldingly connected therewith by means of a spiral spring, C, this shaft being preferably rotated by means of a worm-wheel, E, and worm, E, or in any other convenient manner.

Around the periphery of the cylinder, A, there is an annular groove, A, the depth of which groove extends back to a shoulder, A the edges a, a, of this groove, A, being also beveled, so as to readily direct the cords of the net being lifted into said groove.

And the surface, A operates as a fixed jaw or anvil against which the clamping jaws or arms, F, operate. These clamp arms, F, extend radially from the hub, B, of the cylinder to which their inner ends are pivoted outwardly into the slotted openings,

a, in the upper part A of the cylinder, A, so that the outer ends, F, of the arms, F, will move downward through the openings,

64, upon the part or surface, A On the under surface of the arms, F, there is an inclined surface, f, and in the arm, F, near its outer end there is a spring socket, f, in which the upper end of a spiral spring, G, is secured. On an arm, H, secured to the under side of the cylinder hub, B, there is pivoted a bell-crank lever, one arm, I, thereof being provided with a roller, 2', which operates against the inclined surface, f, on the lever, F; another arm, I, thereof is secured to the lower end of the spiral spring, G, and the third arm, I thereof is provided with a roller, 2', which operates in a trough-shaped annular cam, J, secured to the frame of the machine.

In operation my improved net-lifting machine is mounted upon the deck of a fishing vessel, preferably near the side rail thereof, and suitable power transmitting mechanism connected with the worm E, which, when a net is to be raised, will cause the shaft, B, to rotate in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1, and will, through the spring, C, transmit its rotating motion to the cylinder, A, and the mechanism carried thereby. When the cylinder, A, is thus rotating, the marginal lines of a fishing net, or other fishing line, may be inserted into the groove, A, at the left-hand side of'the cylinder, so that the same will lie in said groove, A, over the upper side of said cylinder, as shown in Fig. 1, and as the rollers, I, on the bell-crank levers travel past the point, J, of the annular cam, J, the lower ends of said bell-crank levers are forced radially inward toward the shaft, B, which causes the rollers, I, to move out from under the inclined surfaces, J, and at the same time draw downward on the springs, G, which causes the outer ends, F, of the clamp levers, F, to be moved downward against the surface, A and firmly clamp said netlines between said parts A and, F, with a yielding pressure, which clamping action of the levers, F, from the time the rollers, 2', pass the point, J, until each of said rollers successively pass the point, J 2 of said annular cam, J, at which point, J the rollers, 2', again travel radially outward away from the shaft, B, thus causing the rollers, i, to again travel upward on the inclined surfaces, on the under sides of the levers, F, and at the same time permits a corresponding elevation of the lower end of said springs, G, thus releasing the grip of the levers, F, upon vertical movement of the clamping levers,

F, is accomplished without any change in the distance between the lower end of the spring, G, and the upper end of said spring, so that when said springs, G, are so adjusted as to give the proper amount of pressure when in operation, said pressure will always bethe same, unless a lead or other larger object upon the cord being pulled enters between the clamping surfaces. It will also be observed that by means of the spiral spring, 0, on the shaft, B, asufiicient amount of resiliency, or yieldability, in the rotary motion of the cylinder, A, to compensate for the motion of the vessel upon the waves, is provided for, so that breaking of the cordage being lifted will be obviated Therefore having fully described the con 'struction and operation of my improved netlifting machine, so as to enable others to construct and operate the same, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is:

1. The combination in a net lifting machine, of a cylindrical shell having a peripheral groove therein and openings through the upper and inner walls of said groove, a vertical shaft carrying said cylindrical shell, clamp levers pivoted to the hub of said shell and extending radially into the openings in said peripheral groove, bell-crank levers mounted in said shell flexibly connected with and actuating said radial clamp levers, and

v an annular cam on the machine frame engaging and operating said bell-crank levers,

substantially as set forth.

2. The combination in a net lifting machine, of a cylindrical shell having a peripheral groove therein and openings through the rear part of the upper and inner walls of said groove, a vertical shaft carrying said cylindrical shell, a flexible connection between said shaft and said shell, clamp levers pivoted to the hub of the shell and extending radially into the openings in the walls of said peripheral groove, bell-crank levers mounted in said shell having one arm thereof contacting with the under side of said clamp levers, a second arm thereof flexibly connected with said radial clamp levers, and an annular cam on the machine frame engaging the third arm of said bell-crank lever and operating the same, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination in a net lifting machine of a cylindrical shell having a peripheral groove therein and openings through the rear part of the upper and through the inner walls of said groove, a vertical shaft carrying said cylindrical shell, means for actuating said shaft, a flexible connection between said shaft and said shell, clamp bars pivoted to the hub of the shell and extending radially into openings in the walls of said peripheral groove, inclined surfaces on the lower edges of said radial levers, bellcrank levers mounted in said shell having one arm contacting with the inclined surfaces on said radial levers, springs connecting a second arm of said bell-crank levers with said radial levers, and an annular cam on the machine frame engaging a third arm on said bell-crank levers and operating the same, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

' JACOB MADLEHNER.

Witnesses:

H. M. STURGEON, JOHN B. BROOKS. 

